Football notes: Pep talk pays off for Highland

Over the last decade or so, Highland football fans haven't had much to cheer about.

The Tartans have been painfully inconsistent. The last time they finished with a winning record was 7-2 in 1993. They came into 2012 with just seven wins in the last four seasons, five coming in 2009.

But after going 1-9 last season and 0-10 in 2010, something clicked over the summer. Mike Daniels, a fourth-round pick of the Green Bay Packers in April's draft and a former Tartan standout lineman, spoke to the team. It's something coach Craig Stinson believes was the catalyst for this year's early success.

"He talked to the kids and we had a good summer as far as working out," Stinson said. "They believed what we did in the offseason would translate to what we could do during the season. When Mike talked to them, they realized it can be done.

"The last couple of weeks are the first time I ever saw us fight when we got down on the scoreboard. They fought to win a ballgame instead of keeping their heads down and thinking here's another defeat. They did it against Schalick and Pennsville. They kept grinding."

The Tartans have won three straight and will take a 3-1 record into tonight's West Jersey Football League Diamond Division game against Gloucester Catholic. They've been getting solid production offensively from the backfield trio of Fred Morrison, Dan Martin and DeVante Parker, while Mark Gillis and Kaseem Sanders have spearheaded the defense.

In power points, Highland is tied for third in South Jersey Group 3 with Point Pleasant Boro.

"The last couple of weeks, we learned a lot of life lessons, that when things go bad you don't give up," Stinson said. "I'd love for this program to turn around.

"We have to take it one game at time. We have to keep working and stay humble because there is a lot of work still to do. It's a good problem, a different problem to have - bringing them down instead of having to pull them up."

? Tough loss: No. 6 Shawnee will be without quarterback Andrew Bertolino for at least 4-5 weeks after doctors determined he suffered an ACL injury in last week's game against Seneca.

It was originally thought the senior would be lost for the rest of the season. But according to coach Tim Gushue, doctors believe he may be able to return and play with a brace after rehabilitation.

"We're staying positive," Gushue said.

Luke Snyder has stepped in at quarterback.

"He came in Friday night and did a great job," the coach said. "We have a lot of confidence in him. We'll forge ahead and do the best we can.

"This just means others will have to pick up more. We'll need to run better, play better defense. If everyone picks it up, I like our chances. All we can ask is that they prepare every day and then on Friday compete as hard as we can."

Shawnee travels to Clearview tonight for a WJFL National game. Both are tied for first in the standings.

? Dual threat: Junior quarterback Dylan Cummings has taken on a bigger role for Pennsville this year due to the dismissal of the Eagles' top running back and a youth movement that has plenty of new faces at receiver.

"We're at the stage right now where we're trying to find out who we are and what we can do," coach Ryan Wood said. "We are very young at receiver and we have a new kid at running back. We need Dylan to carry the football more for us.

"We're just young at all the skill spots. Last year we had four kids out there who had been in the system and knew what to do. It was easier for Dylan to throw the ball. Right now, we've got some kids who were playing seventh and eighth grade football last year."

Through three games, Cummings has thrown for 563 yards and four TDs, while rushing for 330 yards and six TDs.

Last season, Cummings threw for 3,048 yards - third in South Jersey history for a single season - and 35 TDs.

? Honored for effort: Corey Clement of Glassboro was named the U.S. Army All-American Bowl High School Player of the Week for his record-setting performance last week against Gloucester.

The Pitt-bound senior running back set the South Jersey single-game record when he rushed for 478 yards on 14 carries. He also scored seven touchdowns.

? On the map: No. 2 in the C-P rankings, Williamstown jumped into the MaxPreps Northeast Regional rankings this week at No. 7. Our Lady of Good Counsel (Olney, Md.) is on top.